To Kill A Mockingbird ★★★★★

It is impossible to overstate how vital and brilliant Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s classic, To Kill A Mockingbird is. This utterly compelling courtroom drama, so familiar to many from the 1962 film, is every bit as relevant and urgent as it was then. That it continues to be so is both the tragedy and importance of the piece.

With this new production, arriving at this particularly troubled moment in history, Leeds Playhouse has created one of the defining pieces of the decade and one which will be seared into the memories of all who see it.

The daughter of a poor, drunkenly abusive farmer reports that she has been beaten and abused by a Black neighbour, Tom Robinson. He is arrested and tried, defended by Atticus Finch, one of the few members of his community who recognises immediately that the accused is falsely charged and that the case is motivated only by race and hatred. As the case progresses and the divisions in the town deepen, Atticus and his family become the recipients of terrifying threats whilst the accusers gain momentum in their campaign of hatred.

This is eloquently staged; Miriam Buether’s set design and the furniture on it slide seamlessly into place, turning the bare-bricked set into a courtroom, porch, jail and street – each move choreographed to perfection by members of the cast, many of whom have multiple roles as members of both the jury and the mob.

A stellar cast inhabit the familiar roles – Richard Coyle as Atticus is passionate and dignified, his position on the moral high ground never wavering. There is deep affection emanating from this man as seen in Coyle’s performance, especially in his relationships with his children, Jem and Scout, as well as with his Black housekeeper, Calpurnia (Andrea Davy), and with Tom Robinson (Aaron Shosanya).

Anna Munden as Scout is outstanding. She is every inch the precocious firebrand, determined to be on the scene for each moment of the drama, and Munden elaborates her with childish quirks and wit, making her utterly convincing and beguiling. Gabriel Scott as Jem is the steadier, mature-beyond-his-years older brother, giving a very real sense of his determination and integrity – desperately trying to be the image of his father whilst struggling to maintain the same composure under the unbearable pressure of such injustice.

And then there is Dill Harris, played with such total commitment by Dylan Malyn, who, in his professional stage debut, makes for one of the most stunning performances of the night. The eccentric, autistic and vulnerable young teenager who befriends the Finch children becomes their closest friend in the most memorable summer of their lives. This is a performance of real stature.

Andrea Davy as the housekeeper Calpurnia is superb – her body language is sufficiently nuanced that the very stiffening of her back or rise of her eyebrows being enough to convey her anger or her compassion. Aaron Shosanya, as the accused Tom Robinson, has an incredibly complex part to play, as he knows, more than his lawyer, that the die is cast even before the trial begins. Shosanya’s projection of plausible hope is both devastating and encouraging, making the audience truly believe that a different ending is possible for him.

Each character in this large ensemble piece is so beautifully crafted and vividly realised – the vile hatred from Mrs Dubose (Sarah Finigan), the threatening invective of Bob Ewell (Oscar Pearce) and the pathetic treachery of his daughter Mayella (Evie Hargreaves), all being worthy of the highest praise. Bartlett Sher’s direction has made every second of an epic drama, one that grips and compels so deeply that the passing of time goes unnoticed. All the highest honours should be heaped upon this not-to-be-missed play.